Chapter 2: Makoto Takatsuki Reunites with the Grandsage
"Hero Makato, are you well?" Princess Sophia asked. She brushed a hand over my back as I stared vacantly after Gerald.
That's right, I need to thank her.
"Princess Sophia, thank you for your healing," I said. Water Magic: Healwater was a mid rank skill, and obviously not one I knew.
"That is the extent of the healing magic I can use..." she murmured. "I am glad you are safe." She smiled, and her eyes watered slightly.
The sun priestess Princess Noelle was the next to speak. "Makoto, Hero of Roses, I offer my apologies for the behavior of our land's hero."
Her words came at the perfect time. "Thank you for healing him," I said earnestly. "My lapse in control caused issues for you."
Princess Noelle looked at me, seeming slightly surprised. "You saw?" she asked. "It appeared that you were unconscious."
Oops... I'd only witnessed it because Noah had shown me. In reality, I
had been passed out. Time to play it off.
"Uh, I just assumed you had..." I said, trailing off. "By the way, how come I passed out?"
Did I hurt myself with my own magic? I'd feel even stupider if so.
"Takatsuki, that was my fault," Sakurai explained apologetically. "I didn't fancy Gerald's chances if we let things continue. You weren't in control, so I had to stop you by force."
Oh, so that's what happened.
"Yup! Sakurai rushed over and gut-punched you!" Sasa exclaimed. Wait...he stopped me with a gut punch?
"Wow, Aya, you saw it happen?" Lucy asked.
"Incredible, I didn't see a thing..." murmured the prince.
Lucy had good eyes, and Prince Leonardo was another hero. Despite that, Sakurai had reacted so fast that neither of them had seen his movements. That was incredible... But Sasa was even more incredible, considering she could follow everything.
"Thanks, Sakurai," I said. Honestly, I think he'd be the only one able to stop me if I lost control... That was so close. I can't do that again, ever.
There were, however, other things weighing on me.
"The Hero of Lightning is from the Ballantine family, right?" I asked. "They're one of the five Sacred Nobles. Is it going to cause problems? Y'know, since I attacked him like that..." I'd promised not to stand against any of those families...and then I'd immediately broken that promise.
"It will be okay, Sir Makoto," Princess Noelle answered with a smile. "I will speak with the family."
I guess I can relax about it, then? "Thank you, Lady Noelle."
She chuckled. "You are Sir Ryousuke's friend and a valued guest. I will deal with any repercussions." Slyly, she added, "I am rather highly ranked myself, you know." The princess then lifted a finger and winked. She sure was charismatic...and cute.
Just as I thought that someone else spoke up.
"Come on, Elementalist. You're up—we need to talk. Come see me later."
There were several gasps from the shock of it. The Grandsage had appeared out of nowhere with a teleport, said her piece, and vanished again.
Sh-She's certainly...free. Oh, looks like Princess Noelle's smile has stiffened as well.
"M-My apologies, Sir Makoto. The Grandsage is my magic instructor..."
Apparently, even the princess of Highland was no match for her.
"I wanted to thank her anyway," I replied. Even if she's going to be angry with me. "Maybe we should head there now..."
"If you're going, I'll show you the way," offered Sakurai. "Thanks, that'll help. Let's go, Lucy."
She looked shocked. "Wait? Me too?"
"You need to thank her for the bracelet, don't you?"
"R-Right," she stammered. "I do... I'm a bit scared, though."
Me too.
"What about you, Sasa?" I asked.
"Hmm, I think I'll stick around here for a bit longer. The training grounds seem fun."
Gerald had accosted us as soon as we'd arrived, so we hadn't been able to properly check them out. But, considering this was a training ground in the strongest country on the continent, it was probably well-equipped. Sasa had been learning martial arts from Nina, so she was interested in practicing.
Prince Leonardo and Sasa ended up staying behind at the training ground, while Princess Sophia and Princess Noelle went off somewhere else to deal with other business. Lucy and I were guided along by Sakurai to the Grandsage.
"We're here, Takatsuki," Sakurai informed us. We'd just arrived at an estate on the outskirts of the castle grounds.
"Whoa..."
"What on..."
It was like stepping into another world...one made of silver.
The mansion was a bizarre construction of gleaming ice and crystal. Lucy and I could only stare, open-mouthed. The barrier around the manor seemed quartz-like and was probably imbued with mana.
Magic flames flickered around this barrier, illuminating the ice mansion. In spite of the snow on the ground, the landscape was adorned with flowers in full bloom. The season was all over the place...no, not just the season...but everything. Did she use her magic to make this...?
It looked like a wonderland, like a bizarre garden in a strange estate.
"I'll see you both later then," Sakurai said before heartlessly turning to leave us.
"You're not coming with?" I asked.
Sakurai looked apologetic. "She gets angry if uninvited people drop by."
You live in such a unique place, I thought. You should invite more people! But then again, she did seem rather eccentric.
"Well, let's go, Lucy." "R-Right."
We stepped onto the grounds, walked across the unseasonal snow, and then opened the door to the ice mansion.
The interior was pitch-black, despite the amount of light outside. There were, at least, evenly spaced candles that illuminated the floor. At a glance, I would have thought this was a dungeon.
Seriously, the atmosphere was so uninviting...
"Excuse me, it's Makoto Takatsuki," I called out.
"Urk... It's so dark," Lucy added in a murmur, gripping my sleeve as we walked forward.
"So you're here."
Lucy and I both whipped around with strangled squeaks. "Wh-What the...?"
"Uh...?"
In front of us was...a maid doll. Scary!
"This way." The Grandsage's voice came from the mouth of the doll.
Did she not have actual servants?
The doll guided us farther into the mansion, and we entered a dim room. Inside was the Grandsage, clad in white robes and reclining on a massive sofa. This space felt similar to the tent in Labyrinth Town where we'd first met, and it was filled with expensive-looking antiques.
So, does she like gloomy rooms full of stuff?
"It's been a while, Grandsage," I said. "Thank you for dealing with the water I created earlier."
"Thank you for the bracelet," added Lucy.
The two of us offered our gratitude, but the Grandsage just glared our way with cold eyes. "So you have not rescinded your following of a wicked deity."
"W-Well..." I stammered. She'd gone right for the neck...
"No matter," the Grandsage huffed. "I hardly expected you to become Roses's hero in such a brief time. Of course, now it will be impossible to publicize your faith... Knowing that their hero worships
a wicked deity would have too much of an effect on public morale," she said regretfully.
Oh! Was I getting away with it?
"And you defeated that Lightning Boy. Gerald might be somewhat pathetic, but—"
"Makoto's amazing!" Lucy interjected, full of energy. I honestly didn't even remember the fight.
"In what way?" countered the Grandsage. "Such uncontrolled magic is hardly of any use."
"Yes...you're right," I conceded. "I'll be careful." Noah had made me plenty aware of the dangers.
"See that you do." The Grandsage then turned to Lucy and changed the topic. "Incidentally, redhead, are you part of the Walker family?"
"Uh? A-Ah, yes, I'm Lucy J. Walker."
"Johnnie's great-granddaughter, then..." muttered the Grandsage. "Here, take this." She suddenly tossed a staff in our direction, and Lucy flapped her arms around, fumbling to catch it.
Once she had a good grasp on it, Lucy asked, "Wh-Why the staff?" "It was Johnnie's."
"Great-grandpa's?!" Lucy exclaimed.
Hm? The Grandsage was close with Lucy's great-grandad? I turned to Lucy and asked, "Wait, your ancestor knew the
Grandsage?" However, Lucy wasn't the one who answered.
"Elementalist..." said the Grandsage, "are you unaware of Springrogue's Hero, Johnnie Walker? He was one of Abel's companions."
"Oh!" That had jogged by memory.
There was Abel the Savior, Anna the Holy Mother, the White Grandsage, and finally, Johnnie the Spellbow. That was the legendary party that saved the world from the Great Demon Lord. And yet, there were only four members... It didn't seem like enough.
Still, to think one of them was Lucy's great-grandfather! That legendary party had existed a thousand years ago...but elves were a long-lived race, so it made sense that Johnnie was only four generations removed from Lucy.
"That's a huge deal, Lucy!" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Uh...well, you know..." she said awkwardly.
Regardless, the Grandsage was being just as generous with gifts this time—after all, she'd handed over a precious weapon.
The Grandsage smirked and then spoke in a teasing tone. "I know what you want to say."
"Uh, what do you mean?" I asked.
"My great-grandpa...the Hero of Springrogue, Johnnie Walker, had a fondness for women that was, um, beyond that of most elves..." Lucy confessed.
"He had fifty wives and got far more women pregnant..." said the Grandsage. "I couldn't even count how many women he had."
"R-Right..." And he was one member of the legendary party?! What the hell? Maybe it was just one of those things. Heroes liked the pleasures of the flesh...?
"Yeah, so there are a lot of people on the continent who claim his bloodline..." Lucy explained. "Some that are his real grandchildren, and some that...aren't."
"Some also use their relation to Johnnie Walker as part of a con," the Grandsage added.
"I respect him, but his habits..." Lucy trailed off.
That made sense. Maybe Lucy was so serious about romantic relationships because of her grandfather's promiscuity, and her behavior was kind of like a rebellion.
"The idiot never tried to go for Anna or me, though," the Grandsage said, reminiscing. "Well, Abel was there."
Oh? That was a strange way of wording it...
"The way you're talking, it sounds like you were there," I commented. It seemed strange—her Inheritance skill should have given her the memories of the previous Grandsage, but this sounded much more firsthand than that.
"Hm? Oh, I haven't explained yet." The Grandsage fixed her ruby-red eyes on me. "What have you heard of me?"
"That you're the descendant of the Grandsage that was in Abel the Savior's party," I stated. "And that your Inheritance skill gives you the powers and memories of the first Grandsage..." That's what I'd heard, but her actions were making me rethink it a bit.
"That's a lie," she said easily. Lucy and I both shouted in shock. "A lie...in what way?" I asked.
"It's false. I don't have an Inheritance skill."
"Th-Then you don't have her abilities at all! You're tricking
everyone!" Lucy shouted, raging. She'd once told me that the Grandsage was the pinnacle of mages, so maybe now she felt betrayed.
"I mean, she's still pretty impressive as a mage, so it's fine, isn't it?" From my perspective, she was someone (albeit a scary someone) that I owed, someone who had taught me all kinds of things.
"No!" snapped Lucy. "She has to have the power of the Grandsage that fought alongside Abel the Savior! That's why the Hero of Light skill is such a big thing, and why everyone respects Princess Noelle and her Priestess of Light skill... It's the same one that the Holy Mother had. The Hero of Lightning skill is...I suppose more or less the same."
Poor Gerald...more or less the same indeed... It made sense, though. The tale of Abel the Savior and his heroic party was known by all.
And, in the present day, their skills were almost deified by the people living in this world.
"I apologize for getting you worked up," the Grandsage interjected, "but I do have that power."
Both Lucy and I let out confused noises. What did she mean...? Hadn't she said that she didn't have the Inheritance skill?
"How...can that be?"
"I'm the same Grandsage," answered the silver-haired, red-eyed woman in a dispassionate voice.
"U-Uh...that's not possible. Not even elves can live that long," Lucy argued, apparently thinking it was a joke. After all, the Grandsage looked younger than me. Though, the way she spoke...was more grown-up.
"I'm undead."
"What?!" Lucy and I shouted in unison. The air seemed to freeze. That's absurd...
"Very few people are aware. As for you...well, you are a hero, so there should be no issue."
"U-Uh...I see?" That was all I could really manage.
"Abel saved me back then. Ever since, I have been on mankind's side."
Lucy was frozen. I suppose this revelation would be more of a shock to natives—the descendant of a legendary hero was not actually reincarnated, but undead...therefore, Lucy was speaking with the actual hero from a thousand years ago.
Well, that did answer one thing. "So that's why you didn't really mind that Lucy was half-demon or Sasa was a monster." It'd seemed weird that she hadn't made a fuss about that last time.
"That's right. Incidentally, I am a vampire, though I was originally human." The Grandsage grinned, showing off pointed fangs. The first time I'd seen her, she'd seemed almost doll-like, but now...she was a little scary.
She was also slowly coming my way.
"A vampire...? You can go out in the sunlight?" I asked. I'd lost control of my magic outdoors and during the daytime, but the Grandsage had been there to solve it. Weren't vampires usually weak to sunlight?
"I can, but it feels awful...just the worst."
It just feels bad?! The Grandsage was still slowly drawing closer.
"I can withstand it for a while," she explained. "Though, I do take a little damage."
"I-I see. I apologize for the bother, then..." She was a little less than a meter away now. If I stretched an arm out, I could touch her. She was short, so when she finally came to a stop, I was looking down at her. Maybe I should kneel?
"I am somewhat anemic right now," she commented, reaching up to touch my cheek. Her skin was cold to the touch. I remembered her
cold fingers from last time when she'd used her magic to examine my skills.
"This is the price, Elementalist. Hand over your blood." As the Grandsage spoke, she let her fangs show.
Uh...
What was that just now?
"Wait a minute!" Lucy shouted, getting between us. "What do you mean, hand over his blood?!"
"I just explained, did I not? I am a vampire, so of course I drink blood."
"But then Makoto will turn into a vampire!"
Oh, so it worked like that? Vampires turned people by sucking blood... I suppose that fact was true across worlds.
"Don't worry," the Grandsage said. "I wouldn't turn another country's hero into a vampire. I'll hold back."
Suddenly, she grabbed hold of my collar and tugged me down.
Whoa! She's strong.
Her pale skin and big red eyes loomed right in front of me.
"Now then, my thanks for the meal." "Try not to make it hurt...?" I pleaded.
The only answer she gave was a smirk before she opened her mouth wide. I heard the soft sound of her lips sealing on my neck, followed by a sharp, painful sensation.
"Kuh..." I grunted. It hurt...less than I'd expected...maybe?
"M-Makoto...are you okay?" Lucy asked, flitting about and watching. I smiled to keep her from worrying.
The soft gulping sounds made their way to my ears. Wow...she was actually sipping my blood.
"U-Um... Are you nearly done?" Lucy interjected. "Or...would you swap with me?!" I guess she'd started to worry and had offered to take my place.
"It's fine, Lucy," I said after a moment. I could hardly ask a girl to swap out with me.
After a while, the Grandsage released me with a sigh and I heard the sound of High Heal being cast.
Oh, the pain's gone. I felt that there wasn't a mark on my neck either, so she must have healed me.
"That was delicious," said the Grandsage, licking her lips in satisfaction. She seemed to have more traces of color on her cheeks. Her small tongue lapped out and caught the slight droplets that had dripped from her mouth. That...was kinda hot.
"So...it was to your liking?" I inquired.
"Unsullied blood is definitely the best. And otherworlders eat better, so it's even higher quality."
"Do we?"
All I ever ate back then was junk food like burgers and fries. I'd lived a fairly unhealthy lifestyle, but apparently, my blood was enjoyable.
"Unsullied blood," Lucy repeated, her expression darkening. "What's up?" I asked her.
"I wouldn't have been able to stand in, then..."
What? Was calling my blood "unsullied" bothering her?
"Hey, redheaded mage—you've got it wrong," the Grandsage said, seeming to know something.
"Isn't my blood sullied because of the demon blood?"
"No. There are a lot of people that call mixed-bloods and demons 'sullied,' but I don't mean it in that way. Besides, I'd fall under that category as well."
Oh, that was why. So cambions were those with "sullied blood." I guess it's some kind of slur...
"Then what is unsullied blood?" Lucy wondered.
The Grandsage looked away. For how upfront her behavior usually was, this seemed unusual.
"Grandsage?" I pressed. "Please, tell us."
She hummed, then began to speak. "Well... Unsullied blood is what you'd think. Blood from people that haven't had sexual experience."
"Uh?"
"What?"
"Elementalist, you're a virgin, right?" asked the Grandsage.
What?!
"I-I-I-I'm not!" I protested reflexively. "What? You're not?!" Lucy asked.
Come on, quit it, Lucy, it's a lie! I am...
"Hmm, and yet my ultra rank Appraisal skill says 'Status: Virgin.'" "Appraisal tells you that?!"
Where was the privacy?!
"A-Appraisal reveals that as well?" Lucy asked, wrapping her arms around her body and stepping back.
"King rank also tells you the number of partners. Though I don't think you'd want to know."
Lucy and I both yelped in fear.
Damn...that was a harsh skill. Fujiyan had ultra rank Appraisal, right? He wouldn't have it grow to king rank, right?
Well, Fujiyan already knows I'm a virgin, so it's not like it matters!
"Uh, so Makoto's blood is tasty because he's a virgin?"
Lucy! You don't need to make sure!
"Indeed. Mortal, virgin blood is certainly the best!" The Grandsage smiled widely, and Lucy's shoulders shook.
Hey...don't laugh at me...
"Now we're even," declared the Grandsage. "I cleaned up after you, and you fed me." Then, she giggled. "If you offer me some more, I'll help you out whenever."
"Uh, that's kinda..." Not something I wanted to consider.
"What do you normally do for food?" Lucy asked. I was wondering as well. She didn't feed on other people, did she?
"As I said, my status is a state secret, so I have medical blood for my meals. It lacks flavor though... Fresh is best, as they say." She said the last sentence while looking at me and licking her lips.
"Couldn't you drink from someone else?" I asked.
"Hmph! They're all past their best. The Hero of Light's blood was the worst... There are few men of your age that are still virgins. I would never drink from a child either."
"I see..." So virginity was rare. That wasn't the least bit comforting! "Cheer up, Makoto," Lucy consoled. "You'll be fine."
Hey, I can see the smile in your eyes there... "That's a fine thing coming from you, virgin mage." "Wha?!"
Looks like you've been found out, Lucy.
"I'm just going to go," I said eventually. It was best to get out before anything else was revealed.
"Very well. Visit me if you have need," said the Grandsage. She seemed rather cheery right now.
Oh, wait... I needed to ask her about something.
"I beat a hero of the Ballantine family, so I was wondering if there'd be issues."
"Oh, that?" scoffed the Grandsage. "Who do you think I am? I have been the Grandsage since this country's founding. They'll regret it if they start anything."
Well, that made me feel better. If I had both Princess Noelle and the Grandsage on my side, I'd be fine.
"But..." she continued, "you know what I'll ask for in return...right?" She smirked at me. I guess I'd be paying with my body. Or my blood, at least. I should just think of it as a blood donation.
"Also, try and keep your blood unsullied! Stay the virgin you are."
"Don't ask for the impossible." I couldn't follow that order, even if it
did come from her!
"Oh, you plan to discard it? What a shame...your blood will not taste as good."
"What?!" Lucy exclaimed. "Makoto, who with?! Aya? Princess Sophia?"
Seriously, was she an idiot? "I haven't got any plans like that," I replied. Also, I'd prefer if she didn't bring up the names of girls so close to us.
"Th-Then...you might consider throwing it away with me?" Lucy offered, before quickly backtracking. "Uh...kidding."
"L-Lucy?!"
That was something really big she'd just come out with.
But then, the Grandsage broke the tension by scolding us. "Get a room, you two. I'll throw you out." She wasn't so happy anymore, it seemed. I thought we should leave quickly.
"Thank you for everything, then," I said.
But before we could go, Lucy spoke up. "U-Um! Grandsage, I'd like to ask about my great-grandpa... Would you be willing to tell me?"
"Hm, I suppose I do not mind."
Guess Lucy was staying, then. "You'll get your blood sucked," I warned her.
"Fool," chided the Grandsage. "Not just anyone will do. As a former human, elf and demon blood does not match my body."
"So that's how it works?"
Vampires had their own struggles then, I thought before leaving the mansion.
The blood loss had worn me out, so I went back to the inn and took a nap in my room. Around dinner time, I wandered down to the canteen. Fujiyan was there, and the second he spotted me, he leaped up in my direction.
"My esteemed Tackie! I have heard of your exploits! And your victory over the Hero of Lightning, Sir Gerald!"
"I'm not sure victory's the word..." said Lucy. Sasa murmured, "More like murder..."
Guess they'd gotten back to the inn as well. They must have told Fujiyan about Gerald.
"S-Sir Makoto defeated the third-ranked Hero of Lightning..." Chris said in a shaking voice.
"I knew it! There's more to him than meets the eye'h!" Nina cheered. She always hyped me up.
"Chris, what do you mean by 'ranked'?" Sasa asked. I hadn't heard about it before either.
"Every year, each of the six nations gathers for a summit with their royalty and representatives. One of the events is a series of mock battles between each country's strongest warriors," she answered.
"And where they place is what they're ranked'h!" Nina added.
"I see. Who's first, by the way?" I asked, though I already had a decent idea.
"That would be our Hero of Light right here'h!" Nina said, directing her smile toward Sakurai. Oh, that made me realize he was here...for some reason.
"Fujiwara invited me," he explained with a dazzling smile, "and I wanted to take some time to speak with you all a bit more peacefully."
The ever-beautiful Yokoyama was behind him. When our eyes met, she gave me a smile. Back in class, she would've never looked my way, but she seemed pretty approachable now. I must have changed her opinion back in Labyrinthos. It seems like there are a lot of our classmates here...
"Let us eat, then!" Fujiyan directed us over to a table laden with a lavish feast. "The preparations have already been made."
There were expensive-looking cheeses and hors d'oeuvre lined up, along with salads and terrines using seasonal vegetables. There was a soup that smelled of tasty mushrooms, and a shellfish gratin that contained something similar to lobster. There were also juicy steaks alongside vividly colored sauces, and the feast was topped off with a mound of fruit and desserts.
"It looks like French cuisine," Sasa commented.
"This stuff has a lot of calories though, so you need to be careful," Yokoyama added.
"That's awful." "I know, right?"
It was just like Sasa and Yokoyama were back at school... "What did you get up to today?" I asked Fujiyan.
"I visited my business partners. Tomorrow, I am planning to tour the town. Would you care to join me?"
"Sure, I'll tag along." Exploring the capital! This was the biggest city on the continent, so I couldn't wait.
"Still, my friend, I see you have let your recklessness show again," Fujiyan chastised.
"Indeed. Fighting a man like him is ridiculous."
Fujiyan and Chris were both gazing at me, looking disappointed. "He didn't exactly give me much choice."
I hadn't been in the wrong...probably.
"It's a good thing Sakurai was there," said Sasa.
"It really is," Lucy agreed. "For a minute there, I didn't know what
was about to happen."
Sasa must've seen what my spell did to Gerald, while Lucy must have felt the mana breaking out of my control. Neither of them had been able to stop me, but thankfully, our dashing Sakurai had pulled through.
"Serious thanks, Sakurai," I said.
"I mean, I wouldn't do anything else, would I?"
That's the Hero of Light for you. Handsome inside and out.
"You're really close with him, actually," Yokoyama said in apparent realization. I didn't exactly think we were close, but we now had more chances to talk like we used to.
"He's my friend from junior high," Sakurai explained easily.
Hmm? We were friends back then? We'd barely spoken at school...junior or high.
Sasa squealed, and her shock was followed by similarly surprised exclamations from Fujiyan and Yokoyama.
"My esteemed Tackie! I have yet to hear of this!"
"But I never saw you talking in junior high...?" Sasa pointed out.
"Does it matter?" I asked. It's not like everyone who went to the same elementary school stays friends. When Sakurai and I got into the upper years of junior high, the vast gulf of high and low castes grew between us. Sakurai was right in the middle of the class while I was on the outskirts, playing games or reading manga.
"Takatsuki lived next door, so we spent a lot of time together as kids," Sakurai explained.
"We weren't neighbors," I countered. "Your tower block was just next to our crappy one."
"We walked to school together back in elementary though, didn't we?"
I mean, we did, but I was surprised he remembered. "Hey, what was he like back then?" Sasa demanded My past...wasn't anything special.
"Oh!" Sakurai exclaimed with a smile. "I'll tell you about when Takatsuki saved us."
Uh? What?
𝘘 Ryousuke Sakurai's Perspective 𝘘
I thought back to our third year of elementary school.
Once class was finished, all of us would often meet up. There were three guys and two girls in our group. Takatsuki and I were two of the guys, and we were always the first to arrive since we lived close to each other.
"No," Takatsuki interjected, interrupting my story. "You just always kept knocking for me. I wanted to stay home."
"Really?" I guess it had been so long that I didn't quite remember.
"Besides, I always said I'd come if I could. Just...sometimes I was gaming."
"Takatsuki, you really haven't changed much, have you," Sasaki asked with a rueful smile. Takatsuki was wearing an unhappy look as we talked about the past.
The two of us lived near each other, so we often played together. On clear days, we would play outside; on rainy days, we'd go over to someone's home. That's how we spent our time.
One time, there was this guy that gave us sweets. He was all smiles as he talked with us, and before we knew it, he'd started turning up at a park we often played in. He dressed normally and didn't seem dodgy at all—he was just a nice guy.
Since we were happy kids, he always had snacks and gave them to us. Our group was suspicious at first, but one time he brought his dog on a walk and told us all about it. The girls dropped their guard when they saw the cute Pomeranian. It was adorable, and the man kept coming by, always bringing the dog along to play. None of us thought too deeply about it.
"That sounds suspicious," Sasaki commented.
"Hmm, while I cannot pass judgment yet..." Fujiwara said, a pinched look on his face.
Takatsuki was frowning. H-He hadn't forgotten, had he?
For a while, we played with the cute puppy a lot more. Then, it happened.
The man was always smiling, but then, things were different. One day, he didn't bring his puppy, but by that time, we'd let our guard down. There were tower blocks all around our little park, so we were
highly visible as we played. But under the tree cover, where it was harder to be seen, the man showed his true colors.
"His true colors?"
"Uh, you cannot mean..."
Sasaki and Fujiwara both frowned.
"Yeah," I confirmed. "He was a deviant after little girls." "Disgraceful..." spat Fujiyan.
The man suddenly struck us boys, trying to shut us up, and then he started trying to undress the scared girls.
"Th-That's awful." Chris, who was one of the nobles from Macallan, looked slightly scared. She gripped the rabbit-eared woman's hand.
"It was the first time an adult had ever hit me," I explained. "It hurt and I was scared, but I couldn't just do nothing."
"W-Wow, you're so brave," Sasaki replied, looking at me in shock.
"You were the Hero of Light, though, so surely that was no issue'h?" Fujiwara's lover Nina asked, looking oddly at me.
"In our old world, I wasn't a hero or anything. I was just a little kid. The other boy and I got beat up pretty bad." I still regretted how stupid it had been to trust that man so easily. He'd hit my friends and made the girls cry. But I couldn't have done anything.
"Why didn't you scream?" Sasaki asked.
"I did—we yelled for help, and the girls were crying. The park always had kids playing though, so there was constantly a lot of noise. No one came to our aid."
"That...was a daring crime..." Fujiwara murmured.
It really was. He'd used a puppy to lower our guards and had then tried to commit a crime in a blind spot. I didn't know the full details, but it might've even been a habit of his.
"Uh? So what happened to you, then, Makoto?" asked the redheaded elf as she shook his shoulders. Takatsuki was frowning in thought.
Uh? Did he manage to forget? "So what then?" Sasaki pressed.
I thought it was over. My body ached and I couldn't even cry out. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I was shaking in fear, and the other boy had fainted. I was desperate.
Then, I heard a loud crash, but it seemed like the man didn't register the sound. He was too focused on the scared girls. Just as he was reaching out for them, there were several more crashes, one after another.
The noise indicated that something was breaking, and at this point, the man noticed. Not even a minute later, people came out of the apartments nearby, and then the police arrived. I didn't know what was going on.
Saki, Fujiwara, and Sasaki were staring at me, looking puzzled. "Uh, I don't get it."
Lucy, Nina, and Chris all seemed troubled. "Did you do something?" Sasaki asked Takatsuki.
He answered unhappily. "No one came to help even when I yelled, so I made sure people would come," Takatsuki stated, glossing over
what he'd done.
"What do you mean?"
"While we were being targeted, he broke some windows and made a commotion," I explained.
Our other three classmates shouted in shock while Takatsuki looked chagrined.
"Breaking windows brought help?" Chris asked with an odd look.
"Shattering even a single window was a pretty big thing in our world. We lived in a peaceful town with no monsters," Takatsuki said absently.
"And it wasn't just a single window," I added. "Didn't you break all of the windows on the apartment building?"
I'd only found that detail out later, but it was impressive that Takatsuki hadn't even hesitated.
"Uh, how?" Sasaki asked. "The area around your place was pretty well-maintained, so I doubt there would've been stones to throw."
She was right, and Takatsuki reluctantly explained. "I had them with me. I'd bought a load of ball bearings to break windows with."
"What?" the other three asked flatly. I'd also been surprised to hear that the first time.
Slowly, he kept going. "Well, I was really into a western game back then. The main character would go wild in town and a load of police would appear. In the game, you'd use guns and grenades, but you
can't get those in Japan, right? So the best I could do was to break windows...that was what I thought back then, anyway. I wanted to find out how many police officers would turn up."
"So you were walking around with something to break windows?" asked Sasaki in wonder.
"Well, I didn't know when I'd get my chance...it was just a little prank."
Takatsuki was sulking.
"A little prank...you say?" asked Fujiwara slowly. "Games rotted your brain..."
"Leave me be! I'm not proud of it!" Takatsuki groaned. "The teachers and my parents really let me have it after that!" After his outburst, he clutched his head. Oh yeah, that was right—Takatsuki hadn't been happy that the adults were angry with him, I suppose.
"You saved us because of that, though."
"Right?! It was my plan, but you and the other guy were heroes the day after! I had to write a twenty-page apology essay! It's not fair," he pouted.
"W-Well, yeah. How many windows did you break, by the way?" Sasaki asked sympathetically.
"Windows broken: eleven, accuracy: ninety percent. Not bad, right? I included that in the essay."
"Where's the apology there?!" exclaimed Sasaki "They got even angrier for some reason."
"Are you an idiot?!"
I watched those two act out their skit, thinking that it had been too long since I'd chatted with Takatsuki like this. It was fun. He hadn't changed a bit, and it brought back other memories.
"That was in our third year. The next one was in our fifth—"
"Sakurai! Enough of the past!" he yelled in a fluster, filling my glass with booze. I didn't really drink, but I couldn't turn it down after he'd poured for me.
"Come on, drink up," he encouraged. It'd been too long since we'd had a decent conversation.
I picked up the glass and downed the contents.
𝘘 Makoto Takatsuki's Perspective 𝘘
Sakurai was snoring softly, out like a light from drinking a single glass.
Uh, what? Was he a lightweight? But what about the protection from his Hero of Light skill?
"Ryousuke doesn't drink," Yokoyama explained. "Plus, the blessing from the sun goddess is weaker at night, so he gets drunk easily."
"Oh, I see. I never expected that," Sasa said, prodding him on the cheek. He sure didn't look like he'd wake up any time soon.
"I think he forced himself since you suggested it."
"What?" For real? Maybe I shouldn't have done that... It probably counts as peer pressure. Still, if I'd let him be, he was going to spill everything about my embarrassing past...
"Even so, Sir Sakurai seems to be exhausted," Fujiyan observed. "Even more so than at our prior meetings."
"He does, husband?" Chris asked. "Indeed. Almost done in, I would say." Seriously? I hadn't noticed at all.
Yokoyama's expression also seemed fatigued as she answered. "Ryousuke's the Hero of Light, right? Everyone sees him as a
reincarnation of the savior. Highland's first princess Lady Noelle became his fiancée. The first and second princes poisoned his food and cursed him, and assassins have even been sent after him."
Wait, really? Damn...I didn't know Sakurai had gone through so mu—
"But," Yokoyama broke my train of thought with a chagrined look, "the sun goddess's favor rendered the poisons and curses useless. He beat back two assassins unarmed and didn't even get a scratch.
Plus, any time he does get hurt, he heals right away, as long as he soaks up some sun. It's too much, isn't it?"
"O-Ohhh..." the rest of us managed in unison.
Come on, that power's way too OP! Would anyone in this world be able to win against him?
"Still, he'd be in trouble at night, so us knights take shifts to guard him."
I get it—untouchable hero by day, in danger by night.
"I almost forgot... You're his fiancée, right?" Sasa asked Yokoyama nonchalantly.
"Yeah, Eri and me both."
"O-Okay," Sasa stammered. "And you're fine with that?" She wore a slightly conflicted expression.
"Mmm, at first," Yokoyama answered. Her eyes seemed to warm with a wife's feelings as she looked at Sakurai. "He has more than twenty fiancées. We're all in order too. I'm the eighteenth and Eri's the seventeenth. It all feels kinda pointless."
"Wh-Whoa."
"Twenty..."
Lucy and Sasa were both in shock. Twenty fiancées...I couldn't even imagine.
"Ryousuke doesn't seem to enjoy it at all, though. I mean, the king gave him an order: have as many kids as possible to leave behind a legacy. He's constantly spending nights with girls, so he doesn't have any downtime. Then during the day, he has to deal with over a thousand members of the Soleil Knights."
"That would curtail his relaxation indeed..." Fujiyan remarked sympathetically. And Fujiyan was right—I didn't feel jealous of Sakurai when I heard that.
"He says that's the reason why he can relax around old friends like Eri or me. She and I didn't use to get along when we were around him, but now we're like sisters in arms."
"I see..." Sasa mused with an inscrutable look.
Lucy was listening to Yokoyama, her face shining with admiration.
Yokoyama looked my way. "Hey, Takatsuki." In our old world, she'd been our class's beauty, and I'd never heard her say my name in that tone back then.
"What?" I asked casually.
"Ryousuke told me something once... He said that even though people rely on him for aid and ask for his help, he doesn't have anyone in his life who could return those favors..."
"That makes sense," Sasa said. "He's always been the leader."
No matter what group Sakurai was in, things always ended up centering around him. He just drew people in.
"That's why it left such a big impression when you helped him in the past," Yokoyama explained, "and also why he was so happy that you cast a king rank spell to aid with the blight dragons." She smiled ruefully. "He said you always manage to offer help in a completely unexpected way."
"O-Oh," was all I could say. Fighting the blight dragons had just been a coincidence at the time—the elementals there had been happy to help.
"I hope you'll do the same again," she continued.
After a moment, I answered. "Yeah, got it." I'd do what I could at least. After all, he was an old friend.
"Ryousuke had fun today, I think," Yokoyama said, stroking his hair as he slept. "He really wanted you to join the Soleil Knights, Takatsuki, but then you ended up as Roses's hero, so he couldn't invite you. He seemed kinda bummed about it."
"R-Right..." He was serious?! I wasn't going to join an army, though...
"Well, he's passed out, so we should get going." As she spoke, Yokoyama hefted Sakurai up into a bridal carry. Seeing her slight form holding him in the air was a real "yup, this isn't our world" moment.
"Come see him again," were her last words before she left.
After they left, Sasa said, "Sakurai and Saki have so much on their shoulders..."
"The Hero of Light doesn't have an easy job..." Lucy added.
The two of them looked worried as they watched the other pair leave. A solemn mood shrouded the table.
"My esteemed Tackie, perhaps you should take the initiative to visit him at some point?" Fujiyan suggested.
"Yeah, I'll pick up a gift or something and go hang out." It'd be nice to take things easy with him again, just like when we were kids.